Chapter 695: Reactions
Chapter 695: Reactions
Hogwarts's Ancient Runes Professor, Felix Hip, and fourteen students successfully completed their inaugural visit, which was confirmed by Amelia Bones, the Head of the Ministry of Magic, during her evening broadcast on the Wizarding Radio.
"The Hogwarts faculty and students were warmly welcomed. After afternoon tea, they stayed for the evening banquet and dance, which concluded at ten o'clock", Bones said with a hint of joy in her voice. "The Muggle Prime Minister saw them off at the entrance of the Ministry building, and the delegation then Apparated collectively."
"This mission holds significant meaning. It marks the complete opening of communication channels between the magical and non-magical worlds. Subsequent mutual visits will become increasingly frequent, and discussions and collaborations between Wizard and non-Wizard communities will proceed systematically. The Ministry of Magic is committed to finding a balance between maintaining tradition and openness..."
"In short, we can now breathe a sigh of relief."
The Wizarding community was overjoyed. Had it not been too late and the curfew still in place, they might have taken to the streets to celebrate.
However, many Wizards found other ways to express their excitement and joy. They flocked to Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, and other famous Wizarding towns, where the pubs were packed to the brim. Fred and George Weasley's new fireworks also saw widespread use.
Some Wizards in remote areas celebrated in the comfort of their own homes.
In the non-magical world, Muggle newspapers also provided positive coverage. Some journalists who were invited to the Queen's afternoon tea received more accurate information, and their papers sold out the next day.
"Allow me to introduce you to a historic magical school—Hogwarts, founded a thousand years ago by four of the most outstanding Wizards of the time. The school's four houses are named after these founders—Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. Over the centuries, this school has produced countless outstanding Wizards, including those who attended the Queen's afternoon tea yesterday."
"The writer has uncovered many incredible facts that may differ significantly from common perceptions. For example, the ratio of Wizards to Witches is roughly equal, contrary to the widespread belief that Witches far outnumber Wizards. Wizards' daily routines are similar to those of ordinary people; they sleep in beds at night and do not fly around on brooms. The only similarity to the rumors is that broomsticks do exist, but they are not used for transportation—Wizards have more convenient means of travel. Instead, they are used in a sport called Quidditch, which combines elements of football, basketball, and baseball, but is played on brooms—in other words, in the sky."
"The writer also stumbled upon a few students who had mailed letters to The Sun, including a boy raised by relatives who despised magic. His real name is Harry Potter. He confirmed that the content of the letters was true but refused to reveal the names of his abusive relatives, as the name is quite common, making it difficult for child welfare agencies to investigate. However, he is not concerned, stating that he is now doing well and has found a home in the magical world."
"The girl who revealed the existence of several magical creatures was not part of the delegation, which is a shame. I had hoped to ask her how to repel biting insects. I imagine many readers have been practicing the ritual dance to remove biting insects in their rooms, but this may be exclusive magic, as other students were vague about it..."
"Good heavens, we can hardly wait to learn more about Wizards. It's hard to believe that most of our understanding of Wizards over the past two weeks has been based on folklore and baseless rumors!"
"Famous historian Sheridan Mac, upon learning that Wizards have been active throughout human history, has a new perspective on the ghost and myth cultures of all recorded civilizations. He believes that magic is the missing piece of the puzzle."
"And anthropologist Wickliffe Julius has applied to live in a Wizard village for a year or two to observe their lifestyle up close. His request was naturally rejected, as everyone knows he once abandoned his wife and children to live in an African tribal community for two years, conducting what he calls field research. Upon his return, this anthropologist found fault with everything around him, even advocating that all Britons must build their own homes as a rite of passage..."
At Hogwarts,
"The anti-Wizard rhetoric in the newspapers seems to have decreased", Snape mused, staring at the paper.
"That's because they realize how little they actually know about real Wizards", Felix said, pointing to the paper. "Apart from a few letters from students, they couldn't find much valuable information, so they had to dig through old records, which didn't match up at all."
"So, what did you talk about during the afternoon tea that the newspapers didn't mention..." Professor Flitwick flipped to the next page, looking suspicious, "I only found a few noblewomen praising your graceful dancing."
"Cough, cough", Felix coughed, quickly explaining, "Since it was afternoon tea, only the Queen, the Prime Minister, and a few members of Parliament were present. Oh, and there was a little girl, who seemed to be a relative of the Queen—"
Although it wasn’t a fierce verbal battle, it was exhausting in its own way, with every word carrying hidden meanings.
"The students mostly remained silent, like the suits of armor in the castle, motionless. The real highlight was the social dance after the banquet. You wouldn’t believe how many people invited me to dance, trying to subtly gather intelligence about the Wizarding world and even inviting me to tour London", Felix added, "The same went for the other students."
"It sounds like they’re trying to win you over", Professor Flitwick frowned.
"More or less, but it’s a good sign", Felix said calmly. "It indicates that their attitude is shifting towards negotiation, so they’re eager to paint a more accurate picture of the Wizarding world. Of course, I believe the royal family is aware of the existence of Wizards—"
"Nearly Headless Nick is quite representative. He came from a noble family and showed magical talent, which allowed him to study at Hogwarts. After graduation, he became active in the Muggle upper class, using magic—likely with the help of his family’s influence—and was eventually granted a knighthood, serving as a courtier to King Henry Vii."
Felix fell into thought, "He might have been one of the first victims of the witch hunts, a Wizard victim. I could ask him... but he might be just as confused as everyone else."
The first large-scale witch hunts in continental Europe took place between 1480 and 1520, and Nearly Headless Nick was sentenced to beheading in 1492, which falls within this period. Although there might not be a direct connection, since the witch hunts in England started later and there were only sporadic Wizard trials during Henry Vii’s reign. Unfortunately, Sir Nicholas’s clumsy Transfiguration turned what should have been a straightforward dental correction spell—possibly the beginning of a romantic encounter—into a severe magical accident. The recipient, Lady Griff, grew fangs.
Sir Nicholas was stripped of his wand and imprisoned. He tried to argue that he could reverse the damage to Lady Griff, but it was too late. The beauty-conscious lady, underestimating the unpredictability of magic, chose to end her life, and the situation became irreparable.
"Could religious factors interfere with the negotiations?" Professor Flitwick asked.
"In Britain, it’s not a major issue because the Queen is their nominal leader. Outside of Britain—" Felix paused, looking hesitant, "It’s hard to say. They have significant influence over the general population, but Wizards have their own ways to deal with it, especially since they have their own problems to handle."
He planned to send a copy of History of Magic when the time was right, focusing on the content from the 14th to the 17th centuries, which would likely be eye-opening.
Felix didn’t have the energy to focus on international affairs for now. He occasionally used Grindelwald’s identity to operate—closer analysis would reveal that Grindelwald never rallied the Saints or made more inflammatory, extreme, or violent statements. His approach, combined with the contraction policies of the various Ministries of Magic worldwide, actually helped reduce conflicts.
Many believed this was due to the "Unbreakable Vow."
The Ten Laws of Wizards, which he selected based on Grindelwald’s Code, were intended to lower the expectations of Muggle governments in the upcoming negotiations.
If you looked at Felix’s overall strategy, you’d see that his thinking was quite straightforward: prioritize one country, then leverage the resulting reputation to deeply involve himself in the subsequent Wizarding reforms, thereby influencing the course of the world.
During this time, a significant event occurred quietly: Amelia Bones, along with the entire Wizengamot, recommended Felix to become the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, which automatically made him a member of the International Confederation of Wizards.
...
On the other side, the students were also curious about the details of what happened at the Ministry.
"Did you really sing the school song in public?" Ernie Macmillan asked, surprised. He kept turning his head, but Harry, Ron, and Draco all looked ill and clearly didn’t want to talk about it.
"Overall, it went well. A lot of people applauded", Hermione encouraged them with enthusiasm.
Harry looked away. He preferred to call it a disaster. The Hogwarts school song had a standardized melody, but Headmaster Dumbledore didn’t care about such small details during his tenure. He allowed students to choose their own tunes, and someone must have started off-key, leading the entire song to sound like a funeral march, creating an extremely awkward atmosphere.
Professor Hep, however, could calmly spin a tale about how "magic knows no bounds", which Harry admired despite himself.
"Was there anything else interesting?" Colin Creevey asked, holding a small notebook.
"Oh, right!" Harry said, as if he had just remembered something. "Professor said he plans to travel to the moon to search for ancient Wizard ruins!"
After some thought, Felix decided to downplay the content about the conflict between Wizards and religion. Mentioning religion would inevitably bring up the witch hunts and other dark parts of history. In the Harry Potter universe, few actual witches were tried; most were ordinary people falsely accused. This contradicted the tone of the story. However, for the sake of completeness, some aspects might be mentioned later, but most would be glossed over.
(End of Chapter)
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